Libraries are open all hours with online reservations

Mayor Ashley Dearnley & Mayoress Beryl Wright with a Laptop Computer

Finding a good book to read has suddenly never been easier! Thanks to the power of the worldwide web, it is now possible to browse through the shelves of the library from the comfort of your own computer! That's not just the shelves at your local branch, but all the shelves of all the libraries throughout the Borough - and what's more you can also reserve and renew books as well.

This is great news for all book lovers and for students and researchers too. The new Library Catalogue website makes it easy to find the book you're looking for - you can search on author's name, book title - or any word in the title - as well as by subject, ISBN or class. There are separate sections for children's books, newspapers and local studies plus an area for members to create their own reading list.

The Library site can be easily accessed by visiting the main Rochdale Council website at www.rochdale.gov.uk.

Explaining what to do then, is Rochdale Libraries' Systems Manager, Steven Heywood, "A link has been set up directly from the main Council homepage." He went on, "You do not have to be a current member of a Library to search the website - that's open to everyone. There might be a book that's caught your eye in the bookshop or a series on TV and you can now find out if it's available for free to borrow from the library - a kind of 'try before your buy' before you decide that you want to own your own copy."

Reserving a book once you've chosen it is also straightforward. You can call into the library as usual on the off chance that it is still available, or this can be reserved online to make sure that it is held for you - at a small charge. Steven Heywood, explaining the details, added: "Perhaps most conveniently of all, you can renew your books directly through the website whenever you want - and as long as they have not been reserved by anyone else you can do this three times before returning them. This will help make overdue fines a thing of the past - and the library of the future will be 'open all hours'!"

For more information about online services, or to arrange a demonstration, call in to your local library.